Nougat 2

watch your lips watch your lips what they say Sometimes that’s the hardest thing; and we’re obliged to literally and figuratively bite our tongues. Today’s Holy Nougat adds to that by connecting our words to our Faith.

“Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but become an example of the faithful—in speech, in conduct, in love, in faithfulness, and in purity.”

‭‭1 Timothy‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭TLV‬‬

Allow our speech to convince others about Who Jesus is … In one sense that sounds so simple; we only have to preach a sermon here or there. Would that it were so easy all the time.

If this is advice to Timothy for neutralizing or deflecting negative attitudes toward him, a sermon might not always suffice. In fact, a sermon may not prove helpful at the moment. Matthew 12:34 offers a most important truth – the mouth generally reflects what is on our mind. So our response to the negativity directed towards us can show in our speech.

Seriously

Perhaps we should practice responses to tough moments. Many of us have done that before. We ‘run’ a conversation through our minds, looking at possible permutations and designing our best responses. I’ve done that for upcoming interviews, when I figured I’d need to talk my way out of punishment. But, it presumes our knowledge of the situations that will come our way.

There is another safer way, which asks us to be slow to speak AND slow to anger (James 1:19). While that is simple for many; some of us really require supernatural abilities. If you are like me and many others who find it hard; I commend the Spirit of God. One key promise to us about God’s Spirit, is that we will be guided into ALL Truth (John 16:13). Both Matthew 10:12-20, and Luke 12:1-12 give the assurance that God’s Spirit can and will speak for and through us when we face naysayers. Now that’s a relief for many of us are seriously challenged in that area of our lives.

Allowing our words to be an example also includes our general conversation in ‘non- hostile’ spaces. The little things we say that we regret afterwards. Speech that comes back to haunt or exonerate us sometimes long after we forgot about it. Words of kindness that transforms life; including our own (as we speak positively over our selves also), can be a very powerful reflection of God in us.

Shall we choose to be an exemplar in our speech by God’s Spirit?

—

May all we seek be found in Christ